Recognition of Accelerated/Two Year US BSNs

[sunshinerainbows]

I already have a non-nursing bachelor's degree from a university in the US. I'd like to change careers and get a BSN. I could do an accelerated program but I am afraid it wont be recognized internationally.

The problem: Even if I do a "traditional" program, I will transfer in so many credit hours that the program is still only two years, which deep down in some thread someone was saying isn't recognized anywhere either because it's all about the time you spend in the program (at least for immigration/official people), and two years doesn't compare to three or four. I don't understand why since the program I am looking at, students don't start nursing classes until their third year anyway.

Anyone have any experience with shorter programs being recognized? This person was saying that EVERYWHERE outside the US, ONLY four year degrees are recognized. I feel like that can't be true. There's no way in order to have a well recognized degree, I need to spend another two years taking gen eds.

[sunshinerainbows]

Also, not to be cranky, but since a degree is a degree, how do "they" end up finding out that the program was accelerated? Your transcript? Wouldn't the transcript end up showing your transferred courses, so it would look like you've been in school for ages and ages?

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

I think the problem is more of the training of US nursing programs vs International nursing programs. The issue goes both ways. Foreign nurses have a hard time getting a US license because they are specialists in nursing, so they are missing classes and clinicals (ex. OB). US trained nurses are generalists which means they don't have enough training in a specialty that foreign nurses have.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Each country is different, the uk has recently changed some stuff if trained outside of the EU but they used to state on the NMC website that accelerated courses was not recognized and certain hours both clinical and theory was required

[sunshinerainbows]

Would you think that transferring into a regular four year program as a junior, which is what would happen, and graduating in two years would be considered accelerated, or don't know? I sent off an email to the NCM, but I'm not thinking I'll get a response!

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

It all goes on hours clinical and theory as well as meet a certain time period (3 years)

The programme should be three years in length (or equivalent) and contain a minimum

of 500 hours of clinical practice which must be evidenced by a transcript of training

from the applicant’s higher education institution.

The programme must have included theoretical and practical instruction in:

• general and specialist medicine

• general and specialist surgery

• childcare and pediatrics

• maternity (obstetric) care

• mental health and psychiatry

• care of the elderly, and

• community/primary care nursing.

http://www.nmc-uk.org/Documents/Registration/Registering%20as%20a%20nurse%20or%20midwife%20from%20outside%20EU%20or%20EEA.pdf

[sunshinerainbows]

I wonder what that "or equivalent" means.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

If you work/study part time then hour studying hours must add up to full time study time. UK nurse training is continuous with just small vacation time not like I have seen/read in the US and Canada where students take summer and winter off

[sunshinerainbows]

That's where I'm confused, because if that's the case, why wouldn't accelerated programs be recognized since they have the same number of hours? I'm not thinking of doing an accelerated program anymore, I'm just trying to understand their rules.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Last time I looked the uk training was over 2000 hours both clinical and theory. Would accelerated cover the same hours? Each application is accessed individually and we have had some post they was accepted with less hours and others say they was denied. The NMC has just changed the process for IEN who trained outside the EU

[sunshinerainbows]

Here's a link to the most current information: http://www.nmc-uk.org/Documents/Registration/Registering%20as%20a%20nurse%20or%20midwife%20from%20outside%20EU%20or%20EEA.pdf